school uniform

[maxpower]

DD started school in Jan. Last week, we were told they've decided to introduce a new school uniform, compulsory from September.

AIBU about the following?

1. They want us to replace the PE bags (only bought in Jan!) - current ones are plain green, they want one with the school logo on it. £7 wasted and lets face it, the children are only seen outside the school with their PE bags on the way in and out at the beginning/end of terms. Wouldn't it be more reasonable to allow the children who currently attend to keep their plain green ones and introduce the branded ones for the new pupils?

1. They are replacing the jumpers/cardigans with ones with the school logo on. But you can only order them through the school once a week. We've been told they won't accept returns. They can't guarantee they'll have all the sizes in stock and available, plus the children are in class when the uniform is being sold, so they can't try them before you buy/order. So if (in good faith) you buy the one you think will be the right size and it doesn't fit, that's £10 down the drain. Shouldn't they allow returns/exchanges if you leave the label on & keep the receipt? I would ahve thought this would fall under distance selling rules if you have to buy something without actually being able to see it beforehand.

Grrrr moment to get off chest about uniform changes being forced on us. DTD and DTS given 5 months notice that from Sept will have to wear logo'd sweatshirts and cardis available only from school office. 3x price of those I buy currently and of v.poor man-made materials.

Despite having used all the fab mumsnet info about policies and along with other parents writing to express our concerns we got nothing but patronising responses. These included that we could have been made to buy blazers, that 5 months was enough notice to wear out existing supplies (not even my kids grow this quick!), and chapter and verse on the virtues of school uniform which we never disputed.

In short have got nowhere and feel really narked that to comply I will have to ditch a load of uniform with many months of wear left for next year. Am not going to comply but am debating whether to inform head so that DTD and DTS dont get hauled in -any thoughts?

Really wishing all these policies had organistions with teeth behind them

Phew ... feel better now.

In my primary school the uniform and PE uniform changed when I was in year 2. It wasn't until I was in year 6 that there was not one single piece of "old" uniform seen on a pupil...in the years inbetween they just had to accept that people won't throw out good clothes if they fit etc.

It may have been mentioned, but can schools legally insist on buying clothes from a specific supplier, or even clothes with the school logo? My DC generally do, but they have got away with wearing the right colours without the embroidery.

great timing, my boys school has just decided to introduce a new uniform (even tho it was only done 3yrs ago!)

ht is insisting on all logod stuff, only available from ONE supplier that is twice the price that you would pay in high st.

is changing the colour from red and blue to maroon and that is harder to get hold of in most shops.

has even specified a logoed tank top as well as the usual jumpers, polo shirts etc and rules on shoes ie for girls they are to be white or grey!

logoed book bag and pe kits etc as well and all girls must wear matching hair scrunchies and alice bands!

there is a hat as well, anyone would think it is a prep school, not a state primary!

Activate is right, they can't make uniform compulsory in a primary.

I was just about so say, my mum got away with us wearing allsorts in primary school (they were always the right colours, just not the right style or logoed...any normally homemade ) because she said the uniform wasn't even compulsary.

When I started at a new primary, after the Easter holidays, I wore the new summer dress that my mum made - in the regulation school colours. All the other girls used to tell me I wasn't in uniform. Not a single teacher commented. Every girl wore green and white striped or checked dresses. My mum had made me a dress in fabric which was white with green flowers.

Now my DS is starting primary school after the summer. We are only able to order uniform through the school, ONCE a year. I had to borrow things from my friends to get a feel for the sizing. However, his school is relaxed and understanding about getting uniform - so long as the colours are right, they don't mind about it not being official.

If your school is very strict about uniform or has lots of parents who follow it to the letter, your DD might become self-conscious about wearing something too different from the rest. I was not sorry to grow out of my flowery dress!

YANBU to expect the school to give you more time to change over to the new uniform. Or to give you the opportunity to get a good fit.